Electroplating apparatus



Filed May 14, 1963 INVENTOR. ANTON LAZARO ATTORNEY United States Patent3,294,663 ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Anton Lazaro, 2022 N. CaliforniaAve., Chicago, Ill. 60608 Filed May 14, 1963, Ser. No. 280,378 Claims.(Cl. 204-213) This application is a continuation-in-part of application84,910, now Patent No. 3,096,270.

This invention relates to an apparatus for electroplating and isparticularly concerned with apparatus of the type in which a pluralityof relatively small articles may be placed in a container and immersedin a plating solution while the container is rotated in order to insurea uniform application of the plating solution to the articles.

Prior art devices of this type have always been perforated in order toenable plating fluid to gain entry or exit from the container which iscommonly referred to as a plating barrel. Because the only means ofentry of plating fluid into a plating barrel of this type is through theperforations, the size of parts being plated determines the size ofperforations necessary in said plating barrel to enable the properamount of plating solution to circulate through the barrel. The use ofperforations in the electroplating barrel is particularlydisadvantageous when it is desired to electroplate small parts becausethe parts can be lost in the electroplating solution if the perforationsare not small enough. This can happen frequently when utilizing aplating barrel having perforations for electroplating small parts ofdifferent sizes. The only way to avoid this is to have a plurality ofplating barrels with different size perforations to accomplish immersionof the parts in electroplating solution without losing them in thesolution. And to utilize different barrels as a practicality is nearlyimpossible.

In my prior co-pending application entitled Electroplating Apparatus,Serial No. 84,910, now Patent No. 3,096,270 of which this application isa continuation-inpart, I have provided a solid non-perforated barrelhaving slot means wherein electroplating fluid can enter and leave abarrel without allowing small articles that are being electroplated toescape. I mentioned that other exhaust means than that which isspecifically mentioned in my application can be provided to obtain theabove objective. In this application, I teach a different exhaust meansto be embodied in my invention to accomplish the stated object ofenabling electroplating fluid to enter and leave a barrel withoutallowing articles that are being electroplated to escape regardless ofthe size of the articles. Namely I have provided an electroplatingdevice which has in combination, among other things, a slottedelectroplating barrel which has non-perforated walls instead of theconventional perforations, inserts are removably mounted into the walls.The inserts comprise fibrous meshed material wherein electroplatingfluid can be exhausted without exhausting articles to be electroplated.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an electroplatingapparatus which has a new and improved electroplating barrel.

It is further an object of this invention to provide an electroplatingbarrel which can be employed with a number of different sized parts, thelimit in size being determined by how big the parts are rather than howsmall they are.

It is further an object of this invention to provide an electroplatingbarrel that has means for enabling the electroplating solution to enterand leave the barrel without allowing small sized parts to escape intothe electroplating solution.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent fromreading the following description in connection with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

Patented Dec. 27, 1966 FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of my inventionembodied in a self contained electroplating apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the electroplating barrelillustrated in FIG. 1 taken on a plane passing through line 33 andlooking in the direction of the arrows,

FIG. 4 illustrates a portion of the electroplating barrel of myinvention which has meshed fibre inserts removably mounted therein toaccomplish the objects hereinabove mentioned, and

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 4 taken on a plane passingthough the line 5-5 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring generally to the figures in the drawing, a new and improvedelectroplating barrel is shown in combination with a self-containedportable electroplating apparatus. The electroplating barrel isconstructed with walls that are non-perforated which are unconnected andoverlapped at certain locations to form longitudinal slots therebetweenso that when the barrel is rotated in a certain direction,electroplating fluid is caused to enter the barrel through the slotswithout allowing the parts that are being electroplated to escapetherefrom. In addition to the longitudinal slots, the non-perforatedwalls have other unconnected portions to receive non-perforated fibrousmeshed inserts therein at certain locations to enable spentelectroplating fluid to be exhausted therefrom without let ting parts tobe electroplated to escape.

Referring more specifically to FIGURE 1, an electro plating barrel 10 isembodied in a self-contained portable electroplating device 11. As isillustrated in FIGURE 3 the electroplating barrel 10 has solidnon-perforated walls 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. Some of the wallsections, such as walls 17, 18 are arranged so that the non-perforatedfibrous meshed inserts 20 can be removably fastened thereto to form abarrel that has substantially a polygonal cross section with certainunconnected and overlapped Walls forming slots therebetween. The notedportions 17, 18 are preferably not the overlapping wall sections.

The electroplating barrel 10 can be made of any chemically inertmaterial such as plastic. A pair of elongated longitudinal slots 22 and23 are formed between the unconnected and overlapped longitudinalportions of the walls of the barrel 10, these slots being arranged so asto allow electroplating fluid to be admitted to the barrel when itrotates clockwise as indicated in FIGURE 3. As illustrated in FIGURES 4and 5, the non-perforated fibrous meshed inserts 20 are rectangular inshape and can be constructed by having any chemically inert material,such as plastic 25 sandwiched together with non-perforated fibrousmeshed material 20A therebetween. It is however intended that the scopeof this invention include other shapes and means for incorporatingnon-perforated fibrous meshed material into the electroplating barrel,as i1- lustrated, in order that spent electroplating fluid can beexhausted from the barrel without allowing parts to be electroplated toescape therefrom. I prefer the embodiment illustrated because it enablesthe fibrous meshed material to be replaced periodically as the needarises due to any irregularities of the material. However, thenon-perforated fibrous meshed material could be permanently incorporatedin a wall of an electroplating barrel The barrel 10 has a pair ofhexagonally shaped flat end walls 27 and 28 in opposing relationship.which are suitably grooved to permanently receive the transverse edgesof longitudinal walls 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18. The nonperforatedfibrous meshed inserts 20 are received in a pressed fit relationship bythe unconnected shoulder portions 13a, 14a, 15a, 16a of the walls of thebarrel 10. The inserts 20 are sized in length to form a press fit withthe end walls 27 and 28. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, both end walls 27and 28 have hub members 30 and 31 attached thereto at the center thereofso that the barrel can be rotatably journalled by the side members 33and 34 of the electroplating apparatus. The hexagonal shaped flat endwall 28, which is in close proximity to the side member 33, has a gear36 fixedly attached thereto, the gear also being made out of achemically inert material such as plastic. The gear 36 is alsojournalled by the hub member 31 so that when it is rotatably driven theelectroplating barrel is caused to rotate.

The barrel 10 is journalled in side members 33 and 34, as illustrated inFIGURE 1. The non-perforated fibrous meshed inserts are removablyattached to the barrel and are received by the walls of a barrel asillustrated in FIGURES l and 3. The inserts 20 have handles 19 and whenthe inserts 20 are in position they are held firmly against the shoudersof the walls by the clamps 38 and 39. Therefore when it is desired toput parts to be electroplated in the barrel or to remove thenon-perforated fibrous meshed inserts 20 it is merely necessary todismantle the clamps 38 or 39 from the walls of the electroplatingbarrel and remove the inserts 20 by gripping the handles 19. Each of thelongitudinal slots 22 and 23 are formed by the walls 16 and 14 beingoverlapped respectively with the Walls 15 and 13, the Walls 15 and 13being bent inward toward the center of the barrel to prevent parts fromescaping through the slots 22 and 23 when the barrel is being rotated.It will be seen therefore that when parts are placed in theelectroplating barrel and the barrel is caused to rotate, electroplatingfluid is scooped up by the slots 22 and 23 and said parts are unable toescape through the slots. Still further the spent electroplating fluidin the barrel is exhausted through the non-perforated fibrous meshinserts 20. And the parts that are being electroplated are also causedto fall to and lay at the lowest portion of the electroplating barrel.

An electric motor 32 is mounted on the frame 41 above the barrel 10, asshown in FIG. 1. The motor rotatably drives a pinion gear 42 which isattached thereto. The gear forms part of a gear train which comprisesthe gear 43 and a gear 31. The gear 43 is journalled on a hub member 44which is fixedly attached to side member 33, and is disposed between thegears 31 and 42. In order to provide the connection for the articles tobe electroplated with an electrical circuit, the barrel 10 is providedwith one or more, preferably two, electrodes 48. The electrodes 48 havemetallic heads 50 which may be cylindrically shaped and may haveconically pointed end portions 51. These electrodes are preferably madeof noncorrodible metal, such as nickel, silver, or stainless steel.These electrodes are connected to insulated conductors 57. The insulatedconductors protrude through the center of hub members 30 and 31 to makeconnection with terminals 59. The terminals 59 fasten the insulatedconductors 57 to the frame 41 by being screwed therein.

The electrical energy is furnished to the terminals by an outsidesource, not shown. When the electrical circuit is completed, the partsto be plated form the circuit between the two electrodes 48 by theircontact therewith. The electroplating fluid covers both the electrodesand articles, but the contact resistance between the electrodes and thearticles is so much less than the resistance of the electroplatingsolution that the major part of the current passes through the articleswhich are to be electroplated, thereby causing electroplating of theparts.

In order that the electroplating apparatus 11 may have its barrel 10immersed in an electroplating fluid, it has a pair of hooks 61 attachedto the end members 33 and 34 of the frame 41. With this type ofconstruction, the electroplating apparatus may hang from an energizedbusbar and immerse the electroplating barrel without immersing its motor32. Handle members 63 are also provided and are attached to frame 41 sothat the operator of the electroplating apparatus may grasp the handlesto lift the apparatus 11 off of the bus bar and out of theelectroplating solution. As seen from FIG. 1, the barrel 10 may besupported by its frame and members 33 and 34 when it is removed from theelectroplating solution. Thus, parts may be added and removed from thebarrel 10 without any damage being occasioned by resting the barrel onthe ground.

The operation of the electroplating apparatus is substantially asfollows:

The barrel 10 may have its non-perforated fibrous mesh inserts removedin order to place a supply of small metal articles in the barrel 10 on abottom wall member, as shown in FIG. 3. Then one of the inserts 20 mayagain be secured to the barrel 10 while the barrel 10 is supported onthe frame 41 by side members 33 and 34. The apparatus may then be liftedand placed with its book connectors on a bus bar which can be disposedso that when the electroplating apparatus is suspended from the bus bar,the electroplating barrel will be immersed in a tank of electroplatingsolution. The motor 32 may then be energized. The barrel 10 will then berotated at a slow speed in the clockwise direction. Due to the polygonalnature of the barrel, the articles to be electroplated will be caused totumble over and over in the solution and they are in electricalconnection with the electrodes 50. During this time, the electroplatingsolution is effectively scooped into the barrel through its elongatedslots 22 and 23 by the barrels rotation. By the fluid only being causedto move in one direction and enter the barrel 10 through the elongatedslots, the parts to be electroplated do not escape into the solution atthe slot openings. The spent electroplating fluid is exhausted from theelectroplating barrel through the openings in the non-perforated fibrousmeshed material 20a and is redeposited in the electroplating fluid thatthe barrel 10 is immersed in.

Thus it will be observed that I have invented an improved self-containedportable electroplating apparatus which has solid non-perforated wallsand non-perforated fibrous mesh means for exhausting spentelectroplating fluid therefrom without allowing parts to beelectroplated to escape. Therefore my device can be interchangeably usedfor electroplating small parts which vary in size. Also the size of thebarrel to be used is only governed by how large the parts are ratherthan how small they are.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention and I do not Want to be limited to the concise details ofconstruction set forth but desire to avail myself of all changes withinthe scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-contained electroplating apparatus comprising: anelectroplating barrel having solid non-perforated walls forming thelongitudinal sides of said barrel, said non-perforated walls having atleast one insert of nonperforated fibrous meshed material incorporatedtherein, said walls having longitudinal portions that are unconnectedand overlapped, said unconnected and overlapped portions forming atleast one slot therebetween to admit fluid when rotated in a certaindirection without allowing parts to be electroplated to escape from saidbarrel, whereby spent electroplating fluid can be exhausted from saidelectroplating barrel through said non-perforated fibrous meshedportions without allowing said parts that are being electroplated toescape.

2. A self-contained electroplating apparatus comprising: anelectroplating barrel having solid non-perforated walls forming thelongitudinal sides of said barrel, a pair of end walls in opposingrelation, each of said wall sides being fixedly attached to a single endwall, said barrel having at least one non-perforated fibrous meshedinsert removably attached to said barrel, said walls having longitudinalportions that are unconnected and overlapped, said unconnected andoverlapped portions forming at least one slot therebetween to admitfluid when rotated in a certain direction without allowing parts to beelectroplated to escape from said barrel whereby spent electroplatingfluid can be exhausted from said electroplating barrel through saidnon-perforated fibrous meshed insert without allowing said parts thatare being electroplasted to escape.

3. A self-contained electroplating apparatus, comprising: a pair of endwalls in opposing relation, an electroplating barrel having solidnon-perforated walls forming the longitudinal sides of said barrel, eachof said non-perforated walls transverse sides being fixedly attached toa single end plate, said non-perforated walls having at least onenon-perforated meshed insert removably attached thereto, said wallshaving unconnected and overlapping longitudinal portions that form atleast one slot therebetween to admit fluid when rotated in a certaindirection without allowing parts to be electroplated to escape from saidbarrel, said walls also having at least a pair of longitudinal sideswith shoulder portions formed thereon, said pair of longitudinal sidesbeing distinct from the said overlapping portions, said non-perforatedfibrous meshed insert being rectangularly shaped and removably receivedby said shoulders of said walls, and clamp means for removably attachingsaid fibrous meshed insert whereby spent electroplating fluid can beexhausted from said electroplating barrel through said removablenon-perforated fibrous meshed portions without allowing parts that arebeing electroplated to escape and said non-perforated fibrous meshedportions can be replaced.

4. The self-contained electroplating apparatus of claim 1 wherein eachof said non-perforated wall sides are fixedly attached to only a singleend plate.

5. The self-contained electroplating apparatus of claim 1 and a motorassociated With said electroplating barrel to rotate said barrel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,956,943 10/1960Hoegh 204213 3,096,270 7/1963 Lazaro 2042l3 FOREIGN PATENTS 880,843 10/1961 Great Britain.

JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner.

W. VAN SISE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SELF-CONTAINED ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS COMPRISING: ANELECTROPLATING BARREL HAVING SOLID NON-PERFORATED WALLS FORMING THELONGITUDINAL SIDES OF SAID BARREL, SAID NON-PERFORATED WALLS HAVING ATLEAST ONE INSERT OF NONPERFORATED FIBROUS MESHED MATERIAL INCORPORATEDTHEREIN, SAID WALLS HAVING LONGITUDINAL PORTIONS THAT ARE UNCONNECTEDAND OVERLAPPED, SAID UNCONNECTED AND OVERLAPPED PORTIONS FORMING ATLEAST ONE SLOT THEREBETWEEN TO ADMIT